Apparatus for supporting a body on a gaseous cushion



Sept. 12, 1967 APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet l V IN VENTOR L. A HOPKINS 'A TTQIQKEYS' Sept. 12, 1967 L. A. HOPKINS APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GA SEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet INVZ'A/TQE L A HOPKINS BY 7 W, W1. 9

ATTOWYY Sept. 12, 1967 L. A. HOPKINS APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION 27 Sheets-Sheet 5' Filed April 26, 1966 INVZNTOE L A. HOPKINS BY? W, Wm M o ATTORNEYS Sept. 12, 1967 L. A. HOPKINS APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 27 SheetsSheet 4 Ll pawl Sept. 12, 1967 A. HOPKINS APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORAZEKJ' p 12, 1967 L. A. HOPKINS 3,340,551

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed Apfil 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet 6 .wvmroz L. A. HOPKINS anti an, @MvM A TTORAZEYS Sept. 12, 1967 L. A. HOPKINS 3,340,551

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASBOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 v 27 Sheets-Sheet 7 ZNVZ'NTOR L A. HOPKINS @mim fz,

Sept. 12, 1967 1.; A. HOPKINS APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet 8 22? Y Lifiiiiiii .ZNVENTOR L A. HOPKINS C L2 @mv-Mm Sept. 12, 1967 L. AHOPKIN$ 3,

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A' BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR l. A. HOPKINS C a/mwn, WWM

A TTOJQNEYS' Sept. 12, 1967 L. A. HOPKINS 3,340,551

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet l0 INVENTOR L A. HOPK INS WWW Sept. 12, 67 L. A. HOPKINS 3,340,551

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filgd April 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet 11 M i i N 6 g? k: Q

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LNVE'NTOE L A. HOPKINS BY W, W W7 A TTQZAZEYJ Sept. 12, 1967 L A. HOPKINS 3,340,551

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 I 27 Sheets-Sheet l2 mvrwoz L.A HOPKINS L. A. HOPKINS Sept. 12, 1967 APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION 2'7 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed April 26, 1966 DVVEIVTOR L A. HOPKINS 62. 3 @a/vn m ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS cusruon Filed April 26, 1966 Sept. 12, 1967 1.. A. HOPKINS 27 Sheets-Sheet l4 DIWNTOE L A. HOPKINS 3 BY ATT p 1967 L. A. HOPKINS 3,340,551

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 25, 1966 INVENTOE L A. HOPKINS ATTOEALEYJ 27 Sheets-Sheet l5 Sept. 12, 1967 L. A. HOPKINS 3,340,551

APPARATUS FOR SUPY'ORTING A BODY ON A CASE-GUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 2'7 Sheets-Sheet 16 247 254 239 P 245 242 252 1- 1 l 4m 25/ K I 23g mwroz L A. HOPKINS ATTOH/EYS' Sept. 12, 1967 L. A. HOPKINS 7 APEARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A GASBOUS CUSHION I Filed April 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet 1v L A. HOPKINS l 1967 L. A. HOPKINS v 3,340,551

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING A BODY ON A- GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1a T [NI Emu? L .A .HOPKIN5 A TTOKMEYJ Sept. 12, 1967 L. A. HOPKINS 3,

APPARATUS FORSUPPCRTING A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION Filed April 26, 1966 27 Sheets-Sheet 19 .5) W, W i fm A TTOMYS' 

1. APPARATUSD FOR SUPPORTING AT LEAST PART OF A BODY ON A GASEOUS CUSHION COMPRISING A BASE STRUCTURE, FLEXIBLE BARRIER MEANS ATTACHED TO THE BASE STRUCTURE, THE BARRIER MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED FROM FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL AND BEING INFLATABLE SO AS TO FORM TWO RELATIVELY MOVABLE ROWS FACING EACH OTHER ACROSS THE TOP OF THE BASE STRUCTURE AND TO COOPERATE WITH THE BASE STRUCTURE AND THE BODY PART WHEN THE BODY PART IS BROUGHT INTO A CONTIGUOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BARRIER MEANS AND DEFINE WITH THE BODY PART AND THE BASE STRUCTURE A CUSHION SPACE, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING PRESSURIZED GAS TO THE CUSHION SPACE SO AS TO FORM THEREIN A CUSHION OF PRESSURIZED GAS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE BODY PART. 